Everything about Ziggurat algorithm
Algorithm for pseudo-random number sampling
The ziggurat algorithm is an algorithm for pseudo-random number sampling. Belonging to the class of rejection sampling algorithms, it relies on an underlying source of uniformly-distributed random numbers, typically from a pseudo-random number generator, as well as precomputed tables. The algorithm is used to generate values from a monotonically decreasing probability distribution. It can also be applied to symmetric unimodal distributions, such as the normal distribution, by choosing a value from one half of the distribution and then randomly choosing which half the value is considered to have been drawn from. It was developed by George Marsaglia and others in the 1960s. Wikipedia →
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- Read the overview: Ziggurat algorithmA 5-minute orientation
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- Go sideways: Box–Muller transformA closely related topic
đź“– Definitions
Noun An algorithm for pseudorandom number sampling, relying on an underlying source of uniformly-distributed random numbers as well as computed tables.
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